A young gay man from Afghanistan's capital was abducted and executed by the Taliban, local activists have confirmed.
Hamed Sabouri, 22, had dreams of becoming a doctor but was brutally killed in August.
Brazen Taliban forces reportedly filmed the murder and sent the clip to his heartbroken family a few days later.
LGBTQ+ people in Afghanistan have faced increased persecution and found themselves in desperate situations with grave threats to their safety and lives since the Taliban took full control of the country in August of last year.
The country was already unsafe for LGBTQ+ people before the Taliban took over, with the government of President Ashraf Ghani passing a law in 2018 that explicitly criminalised same-sex sexual relations.
Bahar, another gay Afghan who knew Mr Sabouri, told PinkNews that he was a “shy” gay man with an infectious laugh.
“Life is hell for every LGBT Afghan. Taliban terrorists are worse than wild animals", Bahar said.
Bahar, who is a member of Afghanistan’s growing LGBTQ+ organisation the Behesht Collective, sadly removed all evidence of Sabouri on his phone after he learned of his murder because he lives in fear of being stopped and searched by the Taliban.
He also risks being murdered as under the Taliban's interpretation of Sharia Law, homosexuality is strictly prohibited and punishable by death.
Many LGBTQ+ Afghans have deleted their social media in a desperate bid to stay safe, while many others have crossed the border into Pakistan where they are less likely to be killed.
A Taliban judge told the German tabloid Bild shortly before the fall of Kabul: “For homosexuals, there can only be two punishments: either stoning, or he must stand behind a wall that will fall down on him.”
"This man’s execution, and the torture, rape and murder of countless other Afghan LGBTs, could probably have been prevented.
"The UK and other western governments promised to give refuge to those at risk from the Taliban but have broken their pledge", Peter Tatchell, a British LGBTQ+ campaigner, said to the Metro.
The news comes as at least 19 students were killed, with many reportedly female, after a suicide bomber detonated a device upon entering an education centre in Kabul with other gunmen at the end of September.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast and horrific images and footage from the scene showed rows of bodies laid out on the ground.
